Page 9 of A Lick of Flame

Her powerful wings defy gravity as we pierce through clouds. My grip on consciousness wavers; the pain becomes a tide threatening to pull me under. I make a conscious effort to keep my grip on the spear.

I decide that perhaps we should land so that I can regroup and get my strength back. We shouldn’t be attacked by any of the creatures living in the barren lands. Not with Delphine at my side. Besides, it won’t help to fly around aimlessly. I need to heal, and I need a plan.

Reaching out with my mind, I ask Delphine to land, and although she drops below the clouds, she doesn’t do as I ask. We’re low enough for me to see that all is clear down below.

I frown. Why isn’t she complying? She normally does, almost without question. It has been many years, but we are still bonded. She must be upset with me for abandoning her, even though I did no such thing. Not willingly.

“Delphine,” I say, then I urge her to descend, but once again, I am ignored. “I’m sorry, girl,” I whisper, but get nothing back. My dragon is ignoring me.

She picks up speed as if she has a destination in mind. I only hope that she knows what she is doing.

5

Maya

It takes a few long minutes before my vision starts to clear. I rub my watering eyes, blinking them. When my vision finally comes into focus, there is an impossibly small dragon in front of me with broken shell at its feet. Then again, the baby is far bigger than I thought it would be, considering the size of the egg. It must have been wrapped up tight inside that shell, but compared to the stories I have been told about the size of grown dragons, this one is small and clearly a baby.

“Hey, little one,” I whisper.

Its wings are tiny and curled in. It’s wet all over. The creature takes a step back. I can see the fear in the poor thing’s eyes. They’re large and a beautiful golden color. Its scales are brown and quite dull in comparison. Its tail is curled around its body. It takes another wobbly step back.

“I won’t hurt you,” I tell the creature.

I slowly extend my hand toward the baby dragon, which flinches away.

“You’re safe,” I tell it. There is a voice inside me telling me to leave. To run and to do it now, but I ignore the voice. I can’t leave this innocent little creature to its fate. I just can’t.

Back at the orphanage, I care for the children taken in, just like the Mother looked after me when my parents died. I also take care of the plants, vegetable garden, and the wild creatures in need. There have been birds, a dog or two, a kitten, and, to Mother Trinity’s horror, a snake. We found a home for the two dogs. Shadow is now our resident cat, and, as for the wild things…I help them recover and then let them return to the wild, where they belong.

Louisa, one of the other sisters at The Sanctuary, says that I have a soft heart. She has told me more than once that it might cost me in the end. I don’t think that she is right. If something or someone is suffering, the onus is on us to help them.

This little baby needs me…for now. I will help him or her. I have to.

I put down the lantern that is still, by some miracle, in one piece.

I put my hand out again. “It’s okay,” I whisper. The beast sniffs, its eyes on my hand. It moves a little closer and sniffs again.

“See,” I whisper. “It’s fine.” I carefully reach out, offering the gentlest of touches. My fingers barely graze its soft snout before I pull back a little, keeping my hand out there. It hesitates for a moment before inching closer, still sniffing the air cautiously. It moves closer still, so I carefully stroke the side of its face. I’m sure not to move too quickly.

“There, there, little one. You are quite safe now,” I murmur softly, my voice echoing in the cave. The baby dragon tilts its head, seeming to understand the reassurance in my words. With a small chirping sound, it allows me to stroke its scales some more. “You are sweet,” I say. “And hungry? Are you hungry?”

It chirps again.

I giggle.

“Step away from the whelp,” a deep voice says from behind me, making me jump. The baby squeals in fright and runs a few feet back into the dark shadows behind me.

I turn, putting myself between the creature and the intruder. My heart sinks when I see his pointed ears. His hair is dark and thick. It is tightly cropped against his head. If his eyes weren’t such a bright shade of green, I would not be able to see them in the dim light.

If there was any question about who or what he is, the softly glowing ball in his hand makes that abundantly clear. He is fae and is wielding magic. He’s huge and imposing, and from the blood dripping down his chest, I would say that he is wounded.

There is what looks like a stab wound in his shoulder. His whole torso on that side is covered in streaks of congealed blood. Only he doesn’t look weak or like he is ailing in any way. These fae are tough bastards, that is for sure.

I swallow thickly. There is a blood-tipped spear in his hand.

“Do as I say, woman, and step away from the whelp. Do it now!” he commands me in a rich voice.

I take a step forward, shaking my head, my defiance fueling my bravery. “No. I am its guardian, and I will not let you harm it or come anywhere near it.”

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